Health

The trees are budding and blooming, weeds are sprouting and bugs are emerging, including insects that affect our pets such as fleas, ticks and mosquitoes that can transmit heartworm.

One of the advantages of a cold winter is that insects that affect our pets die off in great numbers in frigid temperatures. The warm weather coupled with high moisture has created an early season for bugs, and as they multiply over the coming weeks and months pet owners should take heed and take advantage of preventative measures to keep their pets healthy. Many veterinarians are recommending that these preventatives be started as soon as possible, if you do not use them year round.

From Lisa Guiterman: A new economic analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and featured in the current issue of AIDS and Behavior, showed that the DC Female Condom program, a public-private partnership to provide and promote FC2 Female Condoms prevented enough HIV infections in the first year alone to save over $8 million in future medical care costs (over and above the cost of the program). This means that for every dollar spent on the program, there was a cost savings of nearly $20.

Scientific study after scientific study has confirmed, absolutely, that our brains are much more attracted to negative images and thoughts. The brain typically detects negative information faster than positive information. Our brains actually have a negative bias. We now know that you can rewire your brain to think and act in ways that lead to greater success and happiness. This is good information to have because it allows us to be aware and then to shift it towards the positive.

For example, once you are aware that you are harboring negative thoughts think of yourself walking down a path that has a fork…the right path is taking you towards more negative. So what you need to do is as soon as you become aware, stop and turn around, and then go on the left path.

Scientific study after scientific study has confirmed, absolutely, that our brains are much more attracted to negative images and thoughts. The brain typically detects negative information faster than positive information. Our brains actually have a negative bias. We now know that you can rewire your brain to think and act in ways that lead to greater success and happiness. This is good information to have because it allows us to be aware and then to shift it towards the positive.

For example, once you are aware that you are harboring negative thoughts think of yourself walking down a path that has a fork…the right path is taking you towards more negative. So what you need to do is as soon as you become aware, stop and turn around, and then go on the left path.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the country. Furthermore, around 90 percent of all skin cancer cases are associated with exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Even indoor tanning beds, which 30 million people use per year, pose health risks. Because of this, many people are in search of a healthier option. Today, the spray-on tan option is increasingly offering many benefits over other forms of tanning.

“Many people are not familiar with the type of spray-on tan that we offer,” explains Meghan Farrar, owner of Golden Glow Mobile Spray Tan (www.goldenglowtansva.com), located in NoVa. “Those who do know and opt for it find out just what a great-looking tan they can get, and how much better it is than sunbathing or being exposed to UV tanning booths.”

Spray-on tans provide many benefits, compared to other forms of tanning, including:

March is National Nutrition Month across the country. It’s also an ideal time to look at what we can do to make eating out healthier, especially when you consider that as many as half of the meals that people eat today come from restaurants. In fact, the National Restaurant Association reports that it’s forecasting roughly $631 billion in restaurant sales for 2012. In a typical day across the country, restaurants sell around $1.7 billion worth of food.

Clearly, we are nation that enjoys dining out. But one look at the obesity rates and other health issues makes it apparent that we also need to strive for making healthier meal choices, even when we are at restaurants.

Revolve has a jam-packed month of March! Kick off this month of madness with Spring Break Body Boot Camp, keep the party going on St. Patrick’s Day with ShamRock Cycle and close out the month with March Madness Happy Hour Ride. Revolve is ready to help you get fit and have fun doing it!